We Bought A Zoo real family includes Benjamin Mee, his wife Katherine Mee, and their kids Milo Mee and Ella Mee. The 2011 movie is based on the Mee family.
Cameron Crowe directed the movie We Bought A Zoo in 2011 taking inspiration from Benjamin Mee’s 2008 book of the same name.
The semi-biographical film stars Matt Damon and Scarlett Johansson in the leading roles of Benjamin Mee and Kelly Foster, respectively. Benjamin is a widower who lost his wife Katherine seven months ago, while the Disney actress plays the zoo’s head keeper.
After his son Dylan gets expelled from his school, Mee decides to buy a new house for the family to make a fresh start. Benjamin and his daughter Rosie tour several houses but are not impressed by any of them. They end up at a large old house with a zoo and Rosie immediately likes it.
As Benjamin decides to buy the property, he comes across multiple financial and legal problems. Amid all the challenges, Mee and Kelly take on the tasks of renovating the zoo and opening it to the public.
We Bought A Zoo features actors Colin Ford and Maggie Elizabeth Jones as Benjamin’s children Dylan and Rosie Mee. The film also consists of a talented cast, including Thomas Haden Church, Elle Fanning, Patrick Fugit, John Michael Higgins, Carla Gallo, and Angus Macfadyen.
Benjamin Mee Family On We Bought A Zoo
Benjamin Mee family consisted of his wife Katherine Mee and their two kids. Benjamin and Katherine had a son and a daughter named Milo Mee and Ella Mee.
In the movie, Benjamin buys the zoo after the death of his wife. However, in reality, Katherine was alive when the family bought the zoo in 2006.
The Mee family briefly feature in the 2011 movie, We Bought A Zoo. Benjamin, Milo, and Ella appear as visitors of the zoo.
Wife Katherine Mee
Katherine Mee was the wife of Dartmoor Zoological Park owner Benjamin Mee. She was also the mother of Benjamin’s two children.
Katherine worked as a graphic designer and designed the new model of the zoo. She fully supported her husband’s decision to purchase the property.
Mee was later diagnosed with cancer. She eventually passed away due to a brain tumor on March 31, 2007, five months after purchasing the zoo. At the time of her death, Katherine was only 40 years old.
Son Milo Mee
Milo Mee is the first child of Benjamin and Katherine Mee. Born around 2001, he is currently 22 years old.
Mile is a Biology student at the University of Oxford. Similarly, he also previously went to the Open University.
Mee is an adventurer and an animal lover. He loves hanging out with the animals at the zoo, regularly hikes to explore the beauty of nature and actively participates in rock climbing.
In October 2018, Milo announced that he was in a relationship with a woman named Annie Williams. Although the pair occasionally shares pictures together, it’s unclear if the two are still dating in 2023 or not.
Daughter Ella Mee
Ella Mee is the youngest child of Benjamin and Katherine Mee. She was born around 2003 and is currently 20 years old.
Ella was only four years old when she lost her mother to cancer. The loss deeply affected her, but Ella and her other family members fought to keep the memories of Katherine alive.
Mee initially attended Plymouth High School for Girls. She is currently a student at Cardiff Metropolitan University.
Ella lives at her family home in Plymouth, Devon. She regularly helps out at the zoo and loves spending time with the animals.
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Katherine Was A Writer Married To Benjamin Since 1994
Benjamin Mee wife Katherine Mee was a graphic designer and writer. The couple first met in 1994 in London.
At the time of their first meeting, both Benjamin and Katherine were working as freelance writers. The pair eventually shifted to France where they planned to raise their children.
The Mee family bought a home near Nimes and grew popular in the local community. The couple and their children were enjoying village life when Benjamin decided to propose to Katherine.
During a 2004 trip to Italy, Benjamin asked her to marry him. By that time, Katherine had lost all hope that he would ever propose. She agreed to his proposal and the couple got married at a French Mayor’s office in April 2004.
After a month of wedding, the pair was in London trying to sell their flat. That’s when Katherine started acting strangely. They went to a doctor, hoping to get painkillers for migraine. However, the diagnosis shook the foundation of the Mee family.
An MRI scan showed that Katherine had a ball-shaped black shadow on her brain. She was operated on immediately and became cancer-free; however, the doctors warned them that the cancer would return. And, it did return stronger than ever.
On December 22, 2006, the Mee couple found out that Katherine’s tumor had returned. The cancer was spread across eight sites and was inoperable. Katherine was transferred to the Plymouth-based Derriford Hospital where the staff took good care of her.
With a heavy heart, Benjamin told Milo and Ella that their mother was dying. Katherine passed away on March 31, 2007; she was buried at the place of her family origin in Jersey.
Is Benjamin Mee Married To Kelly Foster?
No, Benjamin Mee is not married to Kelly Foster. Benjamin and Kelly didn’t date in real life either.
In the movie, Mee and Foster develop romantic feelings for each other. However, most of the scenes featuring Kelly are fictional.
During an interview with London Mums Magazine in 2012, Benjamin revealed that there was indeed a staff member named Kelly. But, their relationship was professional and never had a romantic angle.
Mee also added that the character of Kelly was actually based on three people.
Is We Bought A Zoo A True Story?
Yes, We Bought A Zoo is based on a true story. The movie is inspired by a 2008 book written by Benjamin Mee.
But, the locations and characters featured in the movie are different from real life. For instance, the zoo’s official name is Dartmoor Zoological Park. However, in the movie, the zoo is called Rosemoor Wildlife Park. Similarly, the zoo is located in California in the movie but the actual zoo is in Devon, England.
The 2011 film also took the liberty to change the names of the Mee children. In the movie, Benjamin’s kids are called Dylan Mee and Rosie Mee (played by Colin Ford and Maggie Elizabeth Jones). Meanwhile, the children’s legal names are Milo and Ella.
Moreover, the Mee family is grieving the loss of matriarch Katherine when they decide to buy the zoo in We Bought A Zoo. In reality, Katherine was alive when they purchased the property; she died five months after buying the zoo.
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